Admire

Chapter 18

Once we got out of the store I realized Charles headed another direction from where we came at the mall. It felt awkward walking behind him while I was holding the dress. Charles did ask me before we left to hold the dress but the stubborn side of me said no. He looked at me curiously but with a smirk plastered on his face when we left. I didn't think much of it but since he was walking so quick with his long legs and me behind like an assistant, I realized the decision I made. I finally decided to ask him. "Where are we going now?"

"We need to find shoes for you but for now we are going to the food court." He announced.

I looked at him skeptically. "Why couldn't we put the dress in the car and come back?" He was still walking while I sadly tried to match his pace.

He gave me a backward glance and fae forward again. "Are you kidding? My car is parked farther from where we are."

I rolled my eyes. He was literally walking quicker than me and we made it so far already all because of him. I don't think it would've taken longer to go to the car. "Plus I wanted to see you struggle to carry that." I heard him say low.

I staggered at the back of his head hoping he could feel my eyes burning through his back. He finally stopped walking and I almost bumped into him but luckily stopped before it happened. The food court was packed with a bunch of people and the lines were long.

Charles turned around to look at me. "Let's go find a seat." I was baffled. I didn't want to be in this mall with this many people in a room. It brought my anxiety high. But I tried to stay calm and found peace looking at the back of Charles's head. It made it seem like I wasn't scared but also minding my business.

We finally stop at the side of one of the class tables. I was about to put the dress on a seat when I realized Charles had grabbed it from my hands and put it lightly on the chair. I mumbled thanks and sat next to the dress.

"What do you want to eat?" He looked at me, contemplating on my face. I didn't want him to go to that long to one of my favorite food.

"Uh but the line is too long, Why don't I-" He cut me halfway.

"Just tell me what you want and stop worrying about the line." I notice him looking a little irritated so I gave in.

"Cheese Burger with fries and Chocolate milkshake with extra whip cream." As I finished my order to him he looked at me warily but just nodded his head and left.

I looked towards the far back and noticed some kids playing in the little kid room. I noticed a few kids playing tag and a little girl was the only one in the game. She had been tagged and felt upset about it. The little boys noticed that she was upset so they came to her and each boy gave out their arm so she could tag back one of them. One of the little boys with brown hair and glowing emerald eyes looked ecstatic when the little girl picked him.

He quickly turned into a child-like serious mode and the girl and rest of the boys began screaming and running away from him. I smiled lightly at the childish game I remember playing with a few friends during the sandbox days.

"Something you find amusing?" I heard a deep voice occupy my mind. I looked up and noticed Charles was back.

"You came so quick." I looked at him astonished.

He shrugged. "The line went away quickly." I nodded.

"You didn't get anything for yourself." I acknowledged. He looked at me and I saw a glimpse of recognition in his eyes.

"Wasn't in the mood for anything." He answered. I looked at him for a few minutes and finally decided to grub on the cheeseburger. I moaned. I hadn't had a cheeseburger in a while and forgot how good they were as a kid.

I noticed he was looking at me while I was eating. His eyes dilated and hooded. "Those kids are having fun." I nodded towards a couple of kids I was looking at a few minutes back. They were now playing some different games. "I think they're playing a drawing game," I said unsure.

I heard a low chuckle come out of his mouth. "Kids these days are obsessed with drawing."

I laughed and agreed. I grab a few fries and they were undeniably delicious. "You should try some of these fries." I grabbed a few fries and shoved some on his face. He shook his head but I wasn't gonna let him off without trying it. "Just one?" I asked batting my eyes.

He looked at me with curious eyes and I noticed my sad face wasn't going to work with him. Curses for his stone-like face.

I decided to think of something the could make him take one fry but not knowing him enough it was hard to guess what could rile him. Finally, an idea popped in my head. "If you don't try it I'm going to use all the money on the card you let me have and ruin your dress suits." I looked at him with a deadly stare.

He furrowed his eyebrows and eyes were darkening. "You wouldn't." He said darkly.

I didn't want his demeanor to scare me so quickly so I kept my stoic face and continued staring at him. "Try me." I finished.

Without a second glance, he picked the fries from my hands with his mouth and slowly ate them while staring back at me. I look at him shyly and hoped my cheeks weren't a crimson red. "How does it taste?" I asked. Wishing he would stop gazing at me with those cloudy grey eyes.

"It's alright." I smiled at my success. "Was that so hard?" I asked.

"Yes, very." He answered dramatically. I rolled my eyes with a smile on my face and drank my chocolate milkshake.

I was finally done with everything and I got up to throw away my trash. I came back to our table and he was already up and had my dress on one hand, like it weighed nothing. I was about to protest about him carrying it when he stopped me. "I'm walking with it for the rest of the time we're here no talkback."

I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't going to say anything." That was a total lie.

He must've known too but he chose to not say anything at all. We started walking and this time he didn't walk as fast before and we started matching with each other's feet. I smiled at the small gesture and walked to our next store.

Later on, we returned to the car after buying the shoes. Charles had put the stuff we bought at the backseat while I went to sit in the front seat.

We started driving back home and the ride back was silent but calming.

I hadn't taken a shower since last night and I thought it would help me get tired again since I didn't have much rest last night. I was going up the stairs with the shoebox while he was carrying my dress since he wouldn't give it back and saw it fit to be a gentleman.

I opened my bedroom door and put the shoebox on the corner of my closet and turned around to find him placed the dress on my bed. "Thanks for buying these." I considered thanking him so the silence wasn't much awkward.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It was nothing serious." I nodded.

"Well, it was enough for me." I smiled lightly and while I remembered, I got on the side he was and grabbed the dress. I hoisted it up like a baby. This time it was like holding a newborn, it really wasn't as heavy but it felt weird holding it that way in public. I didn't believe I was weak. Especially since the dress was taller than me.

I came back from the closet and saw that he had made his leave out of my room. I yelled a quick 'good night' but got no response but dead silence.

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